Marathon is still scheduled for a FY 2025 release despite plagiarism allegations. Read on to find out more about the game’s plagiarism issue and what Sony executives have learned from the Concord failure.

Marathon Will Release on Sony’s FY 2025

Set for September 23 Amid Plagiarism Concerns

Despite ongoing accusations of plagiarism, Marathon remains on track for a release during Sony’s fiscal year 2025. During Sony’s Game & Network Services Segment presentation on June 13, details regarding live service titles’ release dates were shared, including confirmation that Marathon will arrive in FY 2025.

The presentation slide emphasized the focus for FY 2025 being "Strong Early Engagement for Bungie’s Bold and Innovative New Title." Although the game’s official release date was previously announced during a gameplay showcase in April, recent events may pose challenges to this timeline.

Earlier this month, digital artist Fern Hook, known online as ANTIREAL, posted on BlueSky claiming, "The Marathon alpha recently launched and its environments are filled with assets taken from poster designs I created back in 2017." She included supporting images showing how some graphics even had her name poorly blurred out.

Bungie responded swiftly via Twitter (X) on May 16, stating, "We immediately investigated a concern regarding unauthorized use of artist decals in Marathon and confirmed that a former Bungie artist included these in a texture sheet that was ultimately used in-game."

This was followed by a Developer PlayMA stream on May 17 where Marathon Art Director Joseph Cross spoke directly about the controversy. He explained, "An artist working on Marathon used elements from a graphic designer without permission or credit and added them to a decal sheet that was then submitted in 2020. It contained icons and visuals that appeared in our alpha build. There is absolutely no justification for this mistake, and we’re improving our review process to prevent future occurrences."

Bungie reached out to ANTIREAL in an attempt to resolve the issue, but she has not made any further public comments on the matter. However, fans quickly pointed out inconsistencies in Bungie’s explanation, noting that many members of the art team follow ANTIREAL on social media, where her artwork is prominently displayed.

ANTIREAL did confirm that Cross and others at Bungie had been following her accounts for years, though she never received any direct communication from them.

No further updates have emerged since then, and Bungie continues to insist that Marathon’s launch is approaching. However, Sony’s latest presentation only mentioned the game arriving sometime in FY 2025, without specifying an exact date.

Sony Learning From the Concord Disaster

Sony showcases a strong portfolio of live-service games, including MLB: The Show, Destiny 2, and Helldivers 2, but acknowledged the difficulties faced with Concord's release. During the Game & Network Services Fireside Chat on June 13, SIE Studio Business Group CEO Hermen Hulst discussed Sony’s current approach to live-service titles and their expectations for Marathon.

To avoid repeating the same mistakes seen with Concord, Hulst noted that stricter processes are now being applied across all stages of research and development. "For Marathon, our aim is to deliver a bold, innovative, and deeply engaging experience. As it’s Bungie’s first new title in over ten years, there’s a lot of anticipation around its release," Hulst stated. Given Bungie’s legacy with franchises like Halo and Destiny, expectations are naturally high.

He noted that feedback has been "mixed," but he remains confident in the process. Hulst continued, "When launch day arrives, we want to give this game the best possible chance of success. This cycle of testing, refining, and retesting is crucial for live service games—not just before launch, but throughout their entire lifecycle."

With the release just months away, Bungie faces significant pressure after Sony’s disappointing experience with last year’s Concord. Still, leadership remains optimistic about how this sci-fi shooter will perform in the competitive live-service market.

Marathon is set to launch on September 23, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Keep checking back for the latest updates on the game!

Marathon

The above is the detailed content of Marathon Plagiarism Claims Does Nothing to Slow Planned FY2025 Release. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!